The Ansley Collection - Fall 2019 The Ansley Collection - Fall 2019 | Page 18

The feeling in the Mashburn shop is that you just walked into your really cool friend’s house and closet and it’s shoppable.  How did you go about creating that vibe? How does a brick and mortar store stay successful & relevant with the decline of the physical shopping space around the world and the rise of e-commerce? ANN: First off, let me just say, we LOVE e-commerce. It is ANN: We always knew that was what we wanted it to feel like, but we really never had a master plan to it. Sid and I were from editorial and design backgrounds... not so much retail. We built our stores from a feeling rather than maximizing square footage for sales, mostly because we didn’t know any better! We knew that creating a place that felt like “us” would convey our brand and ultimately sell the clothes better than a retail “planagram.” We just truly built it step by step… and threw a lot of our own stuff in it to make it happen (some of  the first chairs Sid and I bought together as really young people in NY  are still in the men’s shop – I kind of want them back!) And those iron daybeds came from our house, too – we covered them in tartan. The rugs were ours too… we actually sell kilim rugs from the same dealer after getting 500 questions about them over the years. SID: I ’ve had this in my head for a long time dating back to high school. I lived in a small town where there were not a lotta social boundaries. So, I was thinking how do you build a get- together where everyone’s invited…kinda like a fraternity where everyone gets a bid. Ann just described the way we decorated it – which made it feel like an extension of our own home – so the vibe was welcoming from the get-go. a fantastic way to shop, and kind of miraculous it you think about it. The store can be open while we’re asleep! A dress can leave our HQ and get to you across the country… tomorrow! That being said, nothing replaces the feeling of “being known” – just crossing through the door of a shop, and being noticed can make such a difference. I don’t think that will ever change, and we just try to make it worth someone’s time and energy for getting to us. You may not walk away with some product, but hopefully you will leave feeling better than when you walked in. SID: We love the shopping EXPERIENCE. That’s why we wanted to do this in the first place. I like meeting people, I like picking things up, I like leaving with a memory of the place. We understand why OPERATING brick-and-mortar retail has lost some of its appeal, but we also know that from the customer’s point of view EXPERIENCING it firsthand can be just as fun and joyful as ever. We just want to give people a great experience and a great return on their investment of time spent with us.clean, and everyone gets a turn to pick the record – so there’s a lot of range. Has there been a milestone that made you feel like you made it? ANN: For me it was 2008 when the economy was in a very bad state. I had basically held my breath and just focused on “not worrying” when we first began our business – but I was frankly very nervous, basically all the time. I had a business degree and knew what the risk of owning your own business was.  Creating the space was so creative and fun and rewarding – so that kind of got me through the first year. But when so many people were having trouble and losing jobs, WE were hiring and supporting families and growing a business. The design part was fun, but paled in comparison. What is more “creative” than building a company and making jobs and adding to the economy? That felt really great. SID: No! Have there been moments of encouragement & victories along the way that keep me energized & excited?  ABSOLUTELY! You have 5 daughters.  Are they in this business as well? Do they have any say on what’s being curated or created at Mashburn? ANN: 3 out of the 5 currently work with us here. Our oldest has worked on my side of the brand since the very beginning – and has copywritten and art-directed our world here always. She is very talented and her voice is a strong thread through our brand.  With a house of 5 extra women, you can be sure there are LOTS of opinions about curation! SID: They may not know it or feel it, but they have way more influence than they realize. Many of our decisions are in consideration of what the future looks like for our brand. We built this as a brand that should stand the test of time & represent our family values… to offer the best to everyone we meet. Do you have any retail partners or is it all exclusively through you? SID & ANN: Our product has always been sold exclusively through us – but we are just beginning to work with some others. In October, the e-commerce site Mr. Porter will be selling Sid’s product, and our kids line KID MASHBURN is currently sold on Maisonette,  a wonderful children’s website. Tell me how you’ve woven your love of art into the shops.  ( fashion, art, mood boards, music, paintings, vibe, environment) What’s next for your brand? ANN: All of this is just an expression of who we are. When ANN: Selective wholesale… driving more traffic to our stores and website. we first opened Sid’s shop, we made the mood board in hopes of conveying this. Just the stuff we liked – tearsheets from magazines, setlists, photographs. We knew one person in Atlanta, so it was my way of “describing” Sid to our new world here. Like shorthand. Both of us always had fantastic personal boards in our cubicle work stations in NY! I used to love to visit Sid at his office and see what he had collected…. Now, we do this in each of our shops and it is a bit of a signature. I go back and forth between the stores as to which one is my favorite! SID: The music we play, for sure! The only rules are – keep it clean, and everyone gets a turn to pick the record – so there’s a lot of range. Who would you say are your mentors and how did they influence you? ANN: A mentor (who does not know he is a mentor) is Danny Meyer! Sid and I were hugely influenced by his book Setting the Table. What he did for food, we like to think we are doing for clothing retail. Make someone remember not just what they ate (or in our case bought… ) but how they FELT when they were there. SID: Of course Ann & my girls, my parents, my siblings, our Master Tailor Dau, and almost every former boss: Emily Cinader, Jerry & Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger & Mindy Meads. SID: There are so many options but so little time – a great problem to have! We are working on redeeming our time to manage all the ideas & options that lie ahead.